//------------------------------// // Chapter I // Story: Stay quiet // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// I galloped as fast as I could through Ponyville, jumping over carts and other ponies, sometimes sliding under them expertly. Not many ponies expected me to be as agile as I was. “Hey! Watch it!” A stallion shouted angrily at me. Everypony was really angry right now, with the unicorns and pegasus teaming up to destroy our crops and gardens. “Sorry!” I shouted back as he disappeared. I kept galloping till I reached my house and rushed inside, slamming the door shut and locking it. “Ruby! Where are you!” “I’m in here!” I rushed to the voice and skidded to a stop. My daughter was curled into a shaking ball behind the couch. I stood up on the cushions and looked down at her lovingly. “Are you okay?” I jumped down behind the couch and hugged her. “Why are the earth ponies running us out? I thought they liked us?” Ruby sighed and gazed into my eyes. “The adult unicorns are destroying earth pony crops and gardens. It’s not safe for you to be here. We need to hide you,” I explained. “I don’t want to go. You can’t send me away!” Ruby clinged onto my neck. “I won’t do that,” I promised as I looked around and my eyes lit up. “We will hide you in the cellar. You stay down there until I’m home everyday. And you wait until I either come down there to get you or call you up. Make no sound if you hear a pony walking around the house and you don’t know if it’s me. Am I clear?” I asked seriously. I grabbed her and dragged her to the cellar doors in the floor. I opened the doors after pulling the rug off and Ruby trotted in nervously. I had just closed the doors and pulled the rug back over before the somepony knocked on the door. “Come in!” Two earth ponies I recognized as Caramel and Cherry Fizzy trotted in. “Hey Berry,” Cherry greeted me. “Sup?” I asked calmly as I could. “Not much,” he answered as he looked around. “Any unicorns in here? We are running them out.” “N-nope!” I gave a nervous giggle. “None here.” “What about your daughter?” Caramel asked. “Where is she?” “Oh I sent her to Canterlot. Safest place for her,” I lied through my gritted teeth. I’d rather die than let them take my daughter away. I glanced down and my heart caught in my throat at the piece of Ruby’s tail sticking out. I casually stepped forward and stepped on it with my hoof, completely covering it up. “Good call,” Caramel set down a picture of me and Ruby smiling in the park. “We will be out of your hair then.” The two started to trot out the door before a yelp made them freeze. “What was that?” Cherry asked as his eyes flicked around. “Oh that was me!” I gave a strained smile. “It’s a bit dusty in here!” I attempted to recreate the sound to the best of my ability and just when I thought they saw through me, they nodded and walked out, shutting the door behind them. Those two always had kinda been idiots, not that I would ever say it to their faces or tell Candy Apple how I felt about Caramel. I made sure they were gone before I removed my hoof and stared down at where the tip of the tail had been. It was out of sight now and I assumed the yelp was Ruby yanking it into the cellar with her. With a sigh, I entered the room under our house. “Are they gone?” Ruby’s face appeared in front of me. “Yeah love. They are gone,” I reassured her. “Are you hurt?” “No. My tail got stuck in the door is all. Sorry for making a noise,” Ruby nuzzled me sheepishly and I quickly returned it. “It’s okay. Let me see your tail and make sure it’s okay,” I sighed. She turned around and I examined the tip of her tail. “Alrighty, you’re right. Just making sure.” “When can I go outside?” Ruby asked. “I wanna play with Dinky and Sweetie Belle.” “Probably not for a while baby. We gotta wait for things to calm down outside and then we can maybe go check. Lyra is watching over Dinky and Amethyst for Derpy, probably already left for Canterlot with Sweetie Belle.” “Why?” “It’s not safe here for them. Canterlot is primarily a unicorn city.” “Why don’t we go there?” Ruby asked. I tapped her horn and she gave a soft giggle and then I tapped my own head. “I don’t got a horn. They wouldn’t let me in,” I explained patiently. "Besides, we have all we need in here. Enough food, water, books and each other." "What happens if they find them and try to take me away, mom?" Ruby asked and I could hear a hint of fear in her voice. "That won't happen," I said firmly. "They would have to get through me first." "They would lose. My mom is the toughest mare I know!" Ruby giggled and she pressed her hoof to my chest. "Dang right," I announced with a proud grin. "Not even Celestia or Luna could stop me." "And they're the rulers of Equestria!" Ruby paused for second. "Well, former rulers. Twilight's coronation is today." I had completely forgot that. I was more focused on getting home and keeping my filly safe and sound from the angry mob downtown. "Yeah I don't think it's happening today kid," I frowned at her pouting expression. "She is most likely trying to solve all this right now." "But they might reschedule it, right?" Ruby asked hopefully. I knew how excited she was for this. I ruffled her mane with a hoof and smiled at her. "Maybe they will," I agreed. "Lots of fun places for us to go to in Canterlot." I had saved up our few bits we had for this. I hated accepting help from Lyra, Derpy and Junebug in the form of money but as long as my daughter was happy and had a better foalhood than I did, I'd do whatever it takes. Because that's what a parent does. They try their hardest to give their foals a better life than they had. Shouldn't be too hard to top my foalhood. Mom was pretty abusive growing up and dad was too afraid of her leaving him to say anything. I quickly decided that I would never be a mom like she was. Sure, being a single mom can be taxing especially with bills and such but we get by. I sometimes have to lie and say I'll eat later just so Ruby can eat. I love my daughter and I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. No matter the cost.